South Carolina Republicans Head to Polls for Senate Runoff to Replace Graham

South Carolina voters will cast ballots Tuesday in a special Republican primary runoff, marking the fourth election cycle since June in the state’s effort to select a U.S. Senate nominee following the July 11 death of incumbent Senator Lindsey Graham. Graham had secured the Republican nomination for a new six-year term on June 9, but an aortic tear left the seat vacant and forced party officials to hold an additional contest to determine his replacement on the November ballot.

The two finalists competing in Tuesday’s runoff are Darline Graham, the late senator’s sister who was appointed to complete his current term, and U.S. Representative Ralph Norman, a five-term congressman who finished third in the August 11 special primary. Graham captured approximately 33 percent of the vote in that contest, falling short of the majority required to avoid a runoff, while Norman garnered roughly 25 percent. U.S. Representative Russell Fry, who finished third with about 20 percent, has since endorsed Graham.

Graham has secured endorsements from Republican Senator Tim Scott and President Donald Trump, who held a rally for her in Myrtle Beach on Friday. Norman performed strongest in the state’s Piedmont and Upcountry regions, including the Greenville area, while Graham led across central South Carolina and the Low Country. Polls will close at 7 p.m. ET, with the AP expected to declare a winner once it determines a trailing candidate cannot overcome the vote deficit.

The Republican winner will face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a Charleston pediatrician who previously challenged U.S. Representative Nancy Mace in a 2022 congressional race. South Carolina has approximately 3.4 million registered voters, and roughly 336,000 participated in the August 11 special primary. As of Friday, about 45,000 ballots had already been cast in Tuesday’s election.